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Microsoft reportedly plans to take a cut of used game sales

Xbox One games are installed to the console’s hard drive and registered to users’ Xbox Live accounts. It remains unclear how the system will handle used games and Microsoft has failed to address the issue. According to a report from gaming news website MCV, retailers will be allowed to charge whatever they want for pre-owned Xbox One games, however both Microsoft and publishers will receive a percentage of every sale. Microsoft is looking to take control of the pre-owned market and will reportedly only allow specific retailers that have agreed to its terms to resell games.

After a customer sells a game to an approved retailer, it will be registered in Microsoft’s cloud-based system as having been traded-in then it will be wiped from the previous owner’s Xbox account. Microsoft continues to dodge the issue, however, and a spokesperson would only reiteratie that there will be no additional fees to play a game that you own at a friend’s house.

“While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail,” a Microsoft spokesperson said. “Beyond that, we have not confirmed any specific scenarios. Another piece of clarification around playing games at a friend’s house – should you choose to play your game at your friend’s house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your profile.”